Paul Barlow

Paul Barlow: the word ‘snippet’ is good, I often think of the works as ‘snippets’ or ‘bits’ like parts of a whole but also a whole in themselves, something like fractals in nature.

The new title are such,

.•.• .•.•.• .•.•.•.• •.•.•. .•.•.•. •••• .•.•.•.•.•.•

The short one “.•.•” could be the base of the title for the paintings, then it gets longer and more complex as they go on, like a growth from its starting point, that mutates outwards.

Materially I also think about the work being pushed into something very particular and surprising, this idea of the ‘superfluid’, as if the materiality of the paintings gets pushed into this super state and superfluid that goes on and on and does mysterious things, but there is also something psychological in there, or an unknown story unfolding...

Paul Barlow creates his works through a multi-layered process using acrylic paints, thinly applying them, revealing or removing images with a brush dipped in water. In this unpredictable technique, Barlow watches the painting as it develops on its own, spreading across the canvas like the weave of the fabric itself. His paintings often evoke the essence of images that capture fleeting moments or enigmatic forms, existing in the realm between recognition and uncertainty.

When titling Barlow's paintings and exhibitions, he has a specific concept in mind. He once wanted to use the title ".•.•" to indicate the starting point of a painting. The titles of his paintings, represented by sequences of bullet points and periods, are meticulously rearranged horizontally in order, despite their complexity.

Barlow's paintings capture a seamless progression, a metamorphosis, and a flow of interconnectedness, embodying the essence of organisms, explosions, fungus, lightning, or the fluid interplay within the cosmos. As these interactions unfold, their complexity and length evolve, delving into the subtleties and intricacies of transitional states, encapsulating the essence of progression and mutation.

This symbolizes the paintings' sprouting and metamorphosis from their genesis. Each point is continuous, yet each point varies, simultaneously representing a part and a whole, much like the fundamental structure of nature – fractals.

Paul Barlow (b. 1988, Sheffield, UK) lives and works in London, graduated from Royal Academy in 2021. Paul has held solo exhibitions , Karsten Schubert gallery, London (2022); <00:00:00>, South Parade, London (2022) and , Slugtown, Newcastle (2017). He has been in group exhibitions such as , Blindspot Gallery, HongKong (2022); , White Cube, London (2021); , South London Gallery, London (2021); <21 Days: Lacuna>, Slugtown & Arcade Gallery, London (2021); <Show Off (Open Rehearsal)>, Cooke Latham Gallery, London (2020) and , Kubik Gallery, Porto (2019).